Councilmember David Grosso, chairperson of the Committee on Education, will hold education town halls in all eight Wards this summer. Starting on June 25, parents, students, educators, and any interested community members are invited to share their thoughts, ideas, and concerns about moving D.C. schools forward and ensuring that every student is in the best position to succeed. Dates and locations are below. All town halls will be held from 6pm-7:30pm.
RSVP encouraged, but not required.
For Immediate Release:
June 5, 2018
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, 202.724.8105 - mnocella@dccouncil.us
Washington, D.C. – Today Councilmembers David Grosso (I-At Large) and Robert White (D-At-Large) introduced a bill to improve the documentation by D.C. agencies of health outcomes and behavioral risk factors of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) community, as the federal government prepares to limit its collection of this critical public health data.
“At a time when the federal government is retreating from its responsibility to protect everyone’s human rights, D.C. must do everything it can to ensure those rights,” said Councilmember David Grosso. “We have a responsibility to meet the unique health needs of our LGBTQ residents. Requiring our agencies to collect this critical public health data will better inform our policymaking and improve the health outcomes of all District residents.”
“We celebrate Pride in June, but we must go beyond words and parades to affirm and support our LGBTQ friends and neighbors. We need to push back on these proposals by the Trump administration that would impact their health by pretending they don’t exist,” said Councilmember Robert White.
The LGBTQ Health Data Collection Amendment Act of 2018 would require the District Department of Health to collect demographic data on sexual orientation and gender identity through its annual Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS).
The BRFSS is a cross-sectional telephone survey conducted by state health departments in all 50 states and the District of Columbia with technical and methodological assistance provided by the Center for Disease Control.
It would also require the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to collect information on the sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression of respondents to the school-based Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS). YRBSS monitors six types of health-risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth and adults.
“Having a better understanding of how our students identify and the impact their sexual orientation or gender identity has on their behavior and risk factors will enable schools to better serve our students’ non-academic health needs,” Grosso, chairperson of the Committee on Education, said. “When those needs are met, we know they are better prepared to succeed academically.”
All levels of government rely on the data from these surveys when making policy choices to address public health issues. Recently, Trump administration officials with the Center for Disease Controls hinted that they would discontinue the collection of this data.
Additionally, the bill would require that the data collected be used in the annual report on the health of the District’s LGBTQ community, a collaborative effort of the Department of Health and the Office of LGBTQ Affairs.
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Introduced: June 5, 2018
Co-introducers: Chairman Phil Mendelson, Councilmembers Robert White, Vincent Gray, Anita Bonds, Brianne Nadeau, Charles Allen, Elissa Silverman, Kenyan McDuffie, Mary Cheh, Brandon Todd, Jack Evans, Trayon White.
Summary: To amend the Department of Health Functions Clarification Act of 2001 to require the Department of Health to collect information on the sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression of respondents to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; and to amend the State Education Office Establishment Act of 2000 to require the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to collect information on the sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression of respondents to the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System.
Councilmember Grosso's Introduction Statement:
Thank you Mr. Chairman. Today, Councilmember Robert White and I are introducing the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Health Data Amendment Act of 2018. We are joined by Councilmembers Vincent Gray, Anita Bonds, Brianne Nadeau, Charles Allen, Elissa Silverman, Kenyan McDuffie, Mary Cheh, and Brandon Todd as co-introducers.
This is a very simple bill—it requires the Department of Health and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to gather demographic data on sexual orientation and gender identity as part of their public health surveys of adults and students, respectively, in D.C.
Some members will recall this issue came up with regards to DOH a few years ago, and I introduced similar legislation then.
The Department did commit to gather the data, but only every other year, and new developments at the federal level threaten the progress that has been made.
This is data that OSSE is, in contrast, already collecting, and I don’t anticipate it causing any problem for them.
Understanding how our students identify and how that relates to their behavior or risk factors enables us to better serve students’ non-academic health needs.
When those needs are met, we know they are better prepared to succeed academically.
At a time when the federal government is retreating from its responsibility to protect everyone’s human rights, we must ensure that D.C. is doing everything it can to ensure those rights.
Part of that is documenting the health disparities that affect our LGBTQ neighbors so that we can target interventions to end those disparities.
Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large), chairperson of the Committee on Education, celebrated investments in his budget priorities included in the fiscal year 2019 budget for the District of Columbia, which was given final approval by the D.C. Council on May 29, 2018.
“This budget comes before us during a tumultuous time in the public education sector, but I believe the funding we have approved move us forward in education reform and toward closing the achievement gap,” Grosso said. “It makes new investments that put students in the best position to succeed by creating positive school climates, bolstering community schools, and expanding access to multilingual education in D.C.”
The Council’s full budget largely preserves or increases investments approved by the Committee on Education in Grosso’s education priorities and makes investments in other areas of focus for the councilmember:
On May 1, 2018, the D.C. Council unanimously voted to approve, on final reading, Councilmember Grosso's Student Fair Access to School Amendment Act of 2018 which aims to reduce the use of exclusionary discipline in both traditional public and public charter schools in the District of Columbia.
You can read the final version of the bill as passed by the Council here.
The law limits out-of-school suspension of students in kindergarten through eighth grade to serious safety incidents and bans its utilization in high school for minor offenses. If exclusion becomes necessary, the bill protects a child’s right to an education while they are off premises and requires a plan for the student to successfully return to the classroom.
You can read the Committee Report on the legislation which gives insight into the reasoning for the bill, however, a number of changes were made after the bill was passed out of Committee. The major changes include:
Councilmember Grosso included funding for much of the bill in the FY2019 budget, including over $2 million directly to schools through the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula. The budget also included additional funding for OSSE to provide support to schools:
An additional $3 million was added to the budget the Department of Behavioral Health for new behavioral health clinicians in schools. These appropriations fulfilled the “subject to appropriations” clause for much of the bill, but not for the limits on the use of out-of-school suspension set to take effect in SY19-20 andSY20-21. For those to take effect, the Mayor and Council will need to identify and approve approximately $6M in additional dollars in the FY2020 budget cycle.
Today, Councilmember David Grosso, chairperson of the Committee on Education, received a response from DCPS to a letter he sent to D.C. Public Schools Interim Chancellor Dr. Amanda Alexander with several questions in advance of the upcoming June 13, 2018 public oversight roundtable on graduation accountability. The purpose of the roundtable is to get an update from OSSE, DCPS, and PCSB on the implementation of Alvarez and Marsal’s recommendations on improving graduation accountability. The response is below, along with response follow up questions from DCPS on questions asked at the May 10, 2018 roundtable.
DCPS Graduation Follow-up_Final by Team_Grosso on Scribd
5.23.18 Attendance Follow-up Responses_final by Team_Grosso on Scribd
For Immediate Release:
May 23, 2018
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, 202.724.8105 - mnocella@dccouncil.us
Washington, D.C. – The following is a statement from Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large), chairperson of the Committee on Education, on D.C. Public Schools and the Mayor’s repeated failure to meet deadlines and respond to the Committee on Education’s inquiries:
“It has been a tumultuous year for education in the District of Columbia. We have made some progress, but it has truly been in spite of the leadership of the Mayor and D.C. Public Schools who continue to drag their feet and throw up walls to the Committee and the Council’s oversight role.
“Last Tuesday I sent a letter to DCPS asking them to lay out the steps they have taken to address the graduation issues that have recently arisen and help students get back on track to graduate. I also requested they provide data to the Committee on Education that will better inform our policymaking so that the Council can be an effective partner in setting our students up for academic success. Another day, another deadline missed.
“Six weeks ago, I sent a letter to the Mayor expressing my concern that we cannot begin to effectively tackle these issues without stable leadership in the form of a permanent Deputy Mayor for Education and DCPS Chancellor. I asked her to lay out a timeline for the search process and public engagement plan so that we can guarantee that parents, teachers, students, and administrators have buy-in of her eventual nominees and avoid the criticisms lobbed at the opaque process which resulted in the selection of Antwan Wilson. To date, I have not received a response. The Mayor has instead decided to wait until after the June primary, in which she is a candidate, to even begin the search. Next school year will almost certainly begin without a permanent chancellor in place unless we significantly curtail public input, which I have no intention of doing.
“Back in February, after receiving compelling evidence that teachers throughout the city, across grade levels, and in both sectors of public education feel pressure to pass students, it became apparent that issues with graduation and grade promotion may extend beyond high schools. I asked the Mayor to expand and deepen the graduation investigation completed through Alvarez and Marsal to the charter sector and into the lower grades so that we can fully understand the problems throughout our system.
"It has been three months and the Mayor has not responded, despite repeated assurances from her team that a response was coming.
“These continuing failures to provide answers to simple questions betray a troubling lack of urgency on the part of DCPS and the Executive in addressing the education challenges facing our city.
“Councilmember Robert White and I will introduce emergency legislation to ensure that students who meet their academic requirements and would otherwise be on track to graduate or be promoted to the next grade but for their absences in the first three terms of this school year are able to advance to the next step in their academic career. This will represent only a minor fix—there are currently over 1,000 DCPS seniors not on track to graduate this year due to poor academic achievement. I can think of few issues that are more urgent, but the Executive Branch seems to accept the status quo.”
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For Immediate Release:
May 15, 2018
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, 202.724.8105 - mnocella@dccouncil.us
Washington, D.C. – In a major victory for the artistic and creative sectors of the District of Columbia, Councilmembers David Grosso (I-At Large) and Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) have secured a dedicated funding stream for the arts, humanities, and creative economy in D.C.’s fiscal year 2019 budget, which the Council preliminarily approved on its first vote today.
“The arts, humanities, and creative economy have been major drivers of cultural and economic growth in the District of Columbia,” Grosso said. “The dedicated funding included in the budget will provide strong, stable investments that will continue to grow our thriving artistic and creative sectors for the foreseeable future. I truly appreciate Councilmember Evans’ partnership on this effort. Without it, and his persistent commitment to the arts, humanities, and creative economy, this would not have been possible.”
The budget dedicates 0.3 percent of the existing general sales tax to fund $30 million for arts, humanities, and creative economy grants annually.
“I am thrilled that dedicated funding for the arts and humanities in the District is now a reality,” said Councilmember Evans. “I have been a champion for expanding and funding arts programs since I joined the Council in the early 1990s and this yearly revenue will make a difference to ensure more grants are funded. Councilmember Grosso has been a great advocate for the arts and I’m grateful for his partnership in securing these funds.”
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Today, Councilmember David Grosso, chairperson of the Committee on Education, sent a letter to D.C. Public Schools Interim Chancellor Dr. Amanda Alexander with several questions in advance of the upcoming June 13, 2018 public oversight roundtable on graduation accountability. The purpose of the roundtable is to get an update from OSSE, DCPS, and PCSB on the implementation of Alvarez and Marsal’s recommendations on improving graduation accountability. The councilmember has given Chancellor Alexander until no later than close of business next Monday, May 21, to respond.
D.C. Public Schools has provided to Councilmember David Grosso, chairperson of the Committee on Education, data he requested at the May 10 hearing on school attendance. At the hearing, Grosso requested from interim DCPS Chancellor the number of seniors who, but for their absences, would meet requirements for graduation. DCPS provided that data on May 11th, stating that 80 seniors, or 2.2 percent of the class of 2018 cohort, were not on track to graduate based solely on absences.
You can read the updated DCPS Graduation Report here.
For Immediate Release:
May 11, 2018
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, 202.724.8105 - mnocella@dccouncil.us
Washington, D.C. – The following is a statement from Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large), chairperson of the Committee on Education, on today’s release of a report on residency fraud at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education:
“Today’s report not only confirms the stunning depth of residency fraud at Duke Ellington, but also that the previous two chancellors had repeatedly lied to the Committee and the Council about how profound this problem is. I continue to grow frustrated with the lack of transparency from D.C. Public Schools and the Executive and this is the latest blow to their credibility. That is why I pushed to have OSSE assume responsibility of DCPS residency investigations last year and made investments through the annual budget process to provide resources to fulfill those responsibilities.
“Through their diligent work, the agency has revealed that up to 40 percent of students at Duke Ellington, representing over $2 million in D.C.-taxpayer funded education a year, are not District residents and had no plan to reimburse the District for tuition. Under no circumstances is this acceptable.
“I appreciate the work of OSSE and Superintendent Hanseul Kang on this issue. Over the years she has acknowledged that investigating residency fraud was an area that OSSE needed to improve. Today’s report, along with the additional 111 cases of potential residency fraud from throughout the District that OSSE has referred to the Attorney General this school year, show that the agency is ensuring that D.C. schools are serving D.C. students.
“The District of Columbia is full of brilliant young artists and musicians who deserve the ability to attend Duke Ellington. One of the premiere public arts education programs in the country, the school should serve D.C. families first and foremost. Yet the breadth of these allegations shows that the school and DCPS were, at the least, extremely lax in oversight.
“I will be monitoring DCPS’ and Duke Ellington’s compliance with the corrective action plan laid out by OSSE to improve both school-level and central office compliance with our residency requirements. Additionally, I will continue to support OSSE’s role of investigating and reporting residency fraud in D.C. schools by making the necessary investments, including the four additional full-time equivalents and $300,000 for contract support approved unanimously by the Education Committee last week for FY2019.”
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Below is the DRAFT Report and Recommendations of the Committee on Education on the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget for Agencies Under Its Purview, pending certification from the Council Budget Office, as unanimously approved the Committee on May 4, 2018.
Today, Councilmember David Grosso submitted comments to the Department of Employment Services (DOES) on the proposed regulations of the Universal Paid Leave Act.
When Councilmember Grosso introduced this legislation in 2015 he sought to establish a program that would relieve families in the District of Columbia of the difficult choice between a pay check and taking care of a new child or ailing loved one.
One of Grosso's primary motivations for championing this law was the economic security it provides to working families. It allows both fathers and mothers the necessary time to bond with their new child without having to worry about how they will provide for their new family during that time. As chairperson of the Committee on Education, he knows how important these critical early days are to a child’s development. He believe they are vital to ensuring youth are in the best position to succeed in school and career later in life.
However, in his letter, Grosso raises several concerns about the many barriers that exist in the proposed regulations that will keep UPLA benefits out of reach for many of the families who need them most. Such obstacles threaten families’ economic well-being and deprive children of a quality experience in their early days.
Councilmember Grosso's full letter is below:
For Immediate Release:
May 4, 2018
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, 202.724.8105 - mnocella@dccouncil.us
Washington, D.C. – Under the leadership of Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large), the Committee on Education today unanimously passed its recommendations for the District of Columbia FY2019 budget. The Committee’s recommendations require greater transparency from the education sector when formulating its budget. It also makes new investments that put students in the best position to succeed by creating positive school climates, bolstering community schools, and expanding access to multilingual education in D.C.
“I share the public’s frustration with the lack of transparency in the development of school budgets,” Grosso said. “The policy changes included in this report will force DCPS and the mayor to explain their math when devising future budgets. With that information, not only can the Committee, the Council, and the public perform greater oversight, but the city can begin to grapple with the true cost of educating our students as it examines additional reforms to our public education system.”
Policy Recommendations and Legislative Change Highlights:
“The budget the Committee has passed also creates a positive school environment that values a student’s presence and strives to meet the non-academic needs of our most vulnerable students,” said Grosso. “By addressing these issues, we can begin to close the achievement gap and get students on track to graduate ready for college, career, and life."
Investment Highlights:
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For Immediate Release:
May 1, 2018
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, 202.724.8105 - mnocella@dccouncil.us
Washington, D.C. – In a unanimous vote, the Council of the District of Columbia today passed legislation authored by Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) that limits the use of exclusionary discipline in D.C. traditional public and public charter schools.
“The Student Fair Access to School Act is transformational—it breaks the traditional model of school discipline which pushes students out of school and, too often, into the courts,” said Grosso of the legislation, one of the most expansive and comprehensive school discipline reform laws in the country. “This shifting mindset will result in students being better prepared to succeed academically and safer school environments for all.”
The Student Fair Access to School Amendment Act of 2018 limits out-of-school suspension of students in kindergarten through eighth grade to serious safety incidents and bans its utilization in high school for minor offenses. If exclusion becomes necessary, the bill protects a child’s right to an education while they are off premises and requires a plan for the student to successfully return to the classroom.
“Suspensions and expulsions are contributing to the achievement gap in our schools,” Grosso said. “For our students of color, our young girls, and our students who need additional educational supports, this is a civil rights bill.”
Last year, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) released data showing that Black students were eight times more likely to be suspended than White students, an increase over the previous year’s rate. Additionally, students with disabilities and at-risk students were two times and one-and-a-half times more likely to be suspended than their peers, respectively. The U.S. Department of Education recently released national data that mirrored these findings.
Grosso will now turn to providing funding for positive behavioral supports in schools which produce safer school climates and better learning conditions for all students.
“In addition to this legislation, I look forward to making the necessary investments in school-based mental and behavioral health supports and alternative discipline programs when the Committee on Education marks up the fiscal year 2019 budget later this week,” Grosso said.
“The Student Fair Access to School Act is the result of over a year of work, which included input from students, parents, teachers, school leaders, student and family advocates, researchers, mental health practitioners, government agency heads, and my colleagues. I appreciate that time and input immensely and urge the mayor to join us in this effort on behalf of students by signing Fair Access into law.”
The passage of the legislation is the latest success in Councilmember Grosso’s work to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline since joining the Council in 2013. That year, Grosso secured language requiring data collection and reporting from each local education agency on their utilization of exclusionary discipline. The first law he passed when he became chairperson of the Committee on Education in 2015 banned the suspension or expulsion of pre-kindergarten students. He also included language in the School Attendance Clarification Amendment Act that ended the practice of suspending and expelling minors who were late to school or had an unexcused absence and has increased annual investments in alternative discipline programs, such as restorative justice, and community schools.
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For Immediate Release:
April 27, 2018
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, 202.724.8105 - mnocella@dccouncil.us
Washington, D.C. – The following is a statement from Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) on the rally held outside the Wilson Building on April 26, 2018:
“I am extremely alarmed by the disgusting anti-Semitic rhetoric used to attack both the Jewish Community and a Council colleague yesterday, right on the steps of the John A. Wilson Building. This type of hate speech must be immediately denounced and cannot be given a safe space to be heard in our city.
"This rally was organized by Joshua Lopez, who was appointed by the mayor to serve on the District of Columbia Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.When Mr. Lopez’s nomination came up for a vote this year, I joined the concerns raised by some of my colleagues about Mr. Lopez’s temperament and qualifications and ultimately voted against his appointment. And now this. Mr. Lopez should personally apologize to Councilmember Elissa Silverman and resign his seat on the D.C. Housing Authority Board immediately.”
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For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2018
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, 202.724.8105 - mnocella@dccouncil.us
Washington, D.C. – The following is a statement from Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) on Chief Financial Officer Jeffrey DeWitt’s testimony regarding D.C.’s business relationship with Wells Fargo at today’s Committee on Finance and Revenue oversight hearing:
“I’m extremely excited that we are finally having a public conversation about the need to divest from Wells Fargo and pursue banking policies which reflect the District of Columbia’s values and prioritize our local communities’ needs. I appreciate the advocacy efforts of the D.C. ReInvest Coalition for their dogged support and testimony today to advance these efforts and spark this conversation.
“Every year the District spends $4 million to do business with Wells Fargo as its bank of record. Call it a transaction, call it an investment, either way we enrich Wells Fargo, which for years has engaged in highly questionable sales practices, and financed private prisons, anti-environment, and anti-indigenous projects.
“I want to thank CFO Jeffrey DeWitt for agreeing that we should reassess our relationship with Wells Fargo at the conclusion of the contract. I agree with him that choosing which among the five big bank ‘devils’ D.C. should bank with is difficult, but there are banks that are better than others. When assessing who we do business with, it is vital we take a look at the whole picture, including national trends and recent events, in deciding who is currently the best actor and the best fit for our city.
“I also agree that calling for divestment is simply not enough, and solutions must be studied to meet the District’s banking needs. I look forward to a meeting between advocates seeking divestment from Wells Fargo and the Chief Financial Officer, as well as the results of the study I funded through the FY2018 budget process to explore the feasibility of establishing a public bank in D.C.”
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On Friday, April 6, Councilmember Grosso, chairperson of the Committee on Education, sent a letter to Mayor Muriel Bowser asking her to provide a proposed timeline and plan for the selection of a permanent Deputy Mayor for Education and Chancellor of D.C. Public Schools for Council review, as required by law.
For Immediate Release:
April 10, 2018
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, 202.724.8105 - mnocella@dccouncil.us
Washington, D.C. – The following is a statement by Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) on the passing of “the Mayor of the Market”, Paul Pascal:
“As a resident, Council staff, and now Councilmember, I had the great fortune and honor of getting to know Paul Pascal over the years, especially as I worked closely with him on legislation overhauling alcohol control regulations, and I was very saddened to learn of his passing yesterday.
“As a frequenter of the Union Market neighborhood for many decades, I appreciate the unique importance of this area for providing food-based wholesale and retail operations in our city. If not for Paul’s passion for his neighborhood and his fierce advocacy on behalf of the small and local businesses that contribute to its distinct character, the neighborhood would not be the flourishing success it is today.
“The mark he left on the District of Columbia is indelible. We should all strive to emulate his engagement in our own communities.”
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For Immediate Release:
April 10, 2018
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, 202.724.8105 - mnocella@dccouncil.us
Washington, D.C. – The following is a statement from Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large), chairperson of the Committee on Education, on the initial approval by the Council of the District of Columbia of his Student Fair Access to School Act, which aims to reduce the use of exclusionary discipline practices, including suspensions and expulsions. The Council voted unanimously today to advance the legislation to a final vote later this year:
“The full Council has taken the first step to protect every student’s right to an education, of which suspensions and expulsions deprive them. We know how negatively suspensions and expulsions affect the students pushed out of school—they are more likely to fail academically, to drop out, and to end up involved in the criminal justice system.
“One of my first acts as a Councilmember was to require that OSSE collect and report data on suspensions and expulsions. The latest data demonstrates that Black students are nearly eight times more likely to receive an out-of-school suspension than White students. Students with disabilities are nearly twice as likely to receive at least one out-of-school suspension; at-risk students 1.5 times more likely. Moreover, we are seeing an increase in the use of disciplinary actions for subjective reasons. It is unacceptable and, if we seek to close the racial achievement gap, we must end it.
“The Student Fair Access to School Act limits out-of-school suspension of students in kindergarten through eighth grade to serious safety incidents and bans its utilization in high school for minor offenses. If exclusion becomes necessary, the bill protects a child’s right to an education while they are off premises and requires a plan for the student to successfully return to the classroom.
“This collaborative legislation is the result of over a year of work, which included input from students, parents, teachers, school leaders, student and family advocates, researchers, mental health practitioners, government agency heads, and my colleagues. I look forward to working with my colleagues before the final vote and working through the Council budget process to provide significant investment in school-based behavioral health supports for our students and other resources to help schools.”
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